High School Student Studying Abroad Caught Smuggling 700 Million Won Worth of Drugs: "The Mafia Family Son Ordered Me"

Admitting the Charges but Claiming "There Was Coercion"
Suspected of Smuggling Ketamine Worth 740 Million Won from Germany

A high school student who attempted to smuggle ketamine worth approximately 740 million KRW from Germany into South Korea claimed that "the son of a mafia family coerced him."

At the first trial held on the 5th at the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 15 (Presiding Judge Ryu Hojung), the defense attorney for A (18), who was indicted and detained on charges of stimulant drugs under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, admitted most of the charges.

However, he emphasized, "(Separately) the testimonies of the co-defendants currently on trial are somewhat exaggerated," and "We will provide additional opinions later."

In court that day, A claimed that he was coerced by the son of a mafia family who attended the same high school in Dubai to smuggle drugs.

The defense attorney for A stated, "The defendant was coerced by B, a classmate from a high school in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, who is the son of a European mafia organization family, to participate in the crime."

He added, "Domestic investigative agencies consider B's claims to be fictitious," and "Although the defendant's mother has obtained information about B, he is such a terrifying figure that they have been unable to secure the materials."

He further requested, "There is a need to investigate the higher-ups in this case, that student, and I hope the prosecutor in charge of the trial can confirm whether the prosecution is currently investigating him."

A was indicted and detained on charges of attempting to smuggle 2,900g of ketamine (worth approximately 740 million KRW) hidden inside a pancake cooking machine from Germany through Incheon International Airport on May 26.

A proposed the crime to C (18), a middle school classmate, and received a Korean address to which the drugs were to be sent.

It was also confirmed that A passed on contact information and a personal customs clearance code received from D (31), an accomplice he met through social networking services (SNS), to the German drug dealer, enabling the ketamine to be sent to South Korea.

However, German customs detected the ketamine in the cargo and requested cooperation from the Korea Customs Service. In response, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office established a joint investigation plan with the Incheon Airport Customs Headquarters, analyzed the cargo route, and sequentially arrested C and D.

C and D were indicted and detained earlier than A on the same charges and are being tried separately.

Subsequently, on July 8, A was arrested at Incheon International Airport upon returning to South Korea with his parents during the school vacation.

Meanwhile, the ketamine A attempted to smuggle is a psychotropic drug known as a so-called "club drug" among young people, and 2,900g is enough for 60,000 people to use simultaneously.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.